The day was dark and rainy yesterday, just the kind of late summer weather that would ordinarily be an invitation to the movies for us. But since that was out, we closed the curtains and turned on the TV. It took a while to find something blockbustery enough, but in the end we decided on a double feature of Bladerunner, the classic from 1982, (a movie I had seen and loved when it was new) and its sequel from last year, Bladerunner 2049.
We gasped when, after the credits rolled on the first flick (yeah, last century they did those at the beginning of the movie, remember?), it flashed Los Angeles 2019 on the screen. I think I knew we had passed the date Ridley Scott set for his story, but seeing it was something else. And although it was dark and rainy throughout the entire movie, that was really the only thing the world of Bladerunner had in common with our world.
Flying cars, video pay phones, and a huge Pan Am billboard were just the top three buzzers, and only if you accept as a premise of the story the fact that almost everyone fit and able enough had moved off the planet. And pacing? Oh my gosh! It was like all those songs from the 70s and 80s that you are sure are fast enough to add to your workout playlist, but when you actually listen all the way through they are either deleted or moved to the warm up or cool down section. The truth is Bladerunner is like an opera: a dark and slow and melodramatic exploration of humanity.
And, I still liked it.
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